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20

Doctor insights on:
Lower Brain Stem Function

1

For life:
Brain stem functions include most things we do reflexively without thinking, like breathing, swallowing, adjusting our heart rate to our environment, sweating on the face, moving our eyes in unison, keeping our balance and even digesting food. The brain stem also houses the nerves that innervate the structures of the head, including facial muscles.
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2

Motor Stip:
The cerebral hemispheres have the central fissure. Sort of sepeartes the front part of the brain from the back part of the brain. Anterior or closer to the eyes is a strip of brain that controls almost all motor function and behind the fissue is a strip that controls almost all sensory function. http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/d/d_06/d_06_cr/d_06_cr_mou/d_06_cr_mou.html.
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3

Animal studies:
No known areas of brain which contain "intelligence". This is all way into the future now. The parts of the brain which show regrowth are laboratory studies- fascinating and intriguing, but still you will have to hit the books and burn the midnight oil!
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4

Lupus:
Systemic Lupus can attack everywhere and lead to the things u asked about. Other considerations are vasculitis syndromes as there is an autoimmune attack on and in blood vessels which can affect neurons indirectly. Myasthenia Gravis also affect the neuromuscular system and affects one of the main neurotransmitter, AcetylCholine. Rheumotologist is specialist to see for autoimmune disorders
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5

No:
Spinal cord injury affects portions of the body b elow the site of the injury. The brain is not affected, but these injuries are frequently very disturbing and sometimes dangerous. The person suffering from this can be depressed and needing of assistance in many other ways.
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7

Integration :
Stem cells are pluripotent cells meaning they can be programmed to be anything. The problem or difficulty is the integration and fidelity to a specific site of interest like the spinal cord. There are a number of research going on that someday there would be a cure to the most devastating ailments.
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8

Location:
This is entirely dependent on the location of the tumor. There will be certain dysfunction by the affected area of the brain where the tumor is. It also is dependent on the side of the brain where the tumor is.
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9

Cystometric:
If you know these terms, you probably need evaluation by a urologist or urogynecologist. Cystometric can help determine whether medications are indicated or electrical stimulation.
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11

EEG:
Depending on for what the doctor is looking an eeg or possibly a pet scan would be the most common choices. Although, brain stem activity would be documented by spontaneous breathing, etc.
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13

Not quite correct:
For years, it was felt that nerve cells would not heal. If the cell body dies (apoptosis), it does not resurrect. If the nerve fibre axon is transected, it will not reconnect. But the myelin covering can regenerate, and the brain can employ alternative pathway connections with time.
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14

Not related to MS:
MS in the spine wouldn't cause any issues with brain function. MS taking place in the brain could cause some issues with lightheadedness but not memory issues, it would have to be a very end-stage degenerative MS to cause such symptoms and even then it would likely be a secondary cause, not a primary.
Other things such as vertigo, viral infections, stress, sleep etc could be benign causes of this
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15

Yes:
It is interesting that it is called " stimulation", in fact it inhibits the neuron depending upon the degree of stimulation applied. For example the involuntary movement of Parkinson's disease are controlled by "inhibition". Similarly " interstim" is the technique to stimulate to cause inhibition of bladder contractions to cure loss of urinaty control. The entire process is well understood.
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16

No:
The x ray radiation in a CT has no measurable or known effect on neural tissues. 1) dose is way too low and 2) nerves are relatively radioresistant since the cells don't reproduce very fast, if at all.
There is a theoretical risk of cataracts and cancer years later, but this is incredibly small esp. for a single scan and controversial anyway.
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19

Bad event:
Brain stem hemorrhage is not great, as relatively small area with critical nerves and connections. Hard to control once started, and often pts left with chronic disability. I know this is not good news, but hopefully careful inpatient medical care will lead to survival and rehabilitation measures to restoration.
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20

In most cases:
neurons do not have the ability to regenerate, or have only a limited ability at best. There is significant redundancy and unused capacity with the brain's neural network, so depending on the location and extent of injury, it may be possible to compensate for some degree of neuronal loss due to injury. The damage itself is generally permanent, however.
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